It's not a pardon; it's a commutation. Two months from now, they'll be out of prison as convicted, violent federal felons, but will retain their intimate knowledge of the weaknesses in both border security and the Border Patrol generally; their connections with Mexican drug criminals, and their understandable desire to make good livings to support themselves and their families, without the ability to do so with either a badge or a gun in their possession . . .

Sorry, 'Dog, but I have to go with Peter and Marko on this one. Lying about the shooting and tampering with evidence is a crime, and ought to be doubly punished when the criminal is an agent of the State.

I understnd from other blogs that commutation does not imply guilt and therefor allows them to continue to appeal for an exoneration at a higher court. A pardon says, You were guilty, case closed, go home.Any real lawyers out there can correct me if I'm wrong.

Doug is right on this one. The lawyers for the two officers asked for this instead of a pardon because they are still trying to get the whole case overturned. Bush did exactly as he was asked, so no bad reflection on him.